Electro-magnetic railway-brake



(No Model.)

C. J. VAN DEPOELE.

. ELECTRO MAGNETIC RAILWAY BRA-KB. No. 348,360. Patented Aug. 31, 1886.

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wit/wwwa UNITED STATES PATENT CEETCE.

CHARLES J. VAN DEPCELE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINCIS.

ELECTRO-MAGNETIC RAILWAY-BRAKE.

SPECEFXCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 348,360, dated VAugust 3l, 1886.

Application iled April QS, 1886.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OiLiRLEs J. VAN DE. POELE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electro-Magnetic Railway- Brakes, of which the following is a description.

The present invention relates to improvements in electro-magnetic brakes designed for use more particularly on railwaytrains propelled in whole or in part by electricity, and it consists in so arranging a system of brakes in connection with the motor or motors by which the car or ears are propelled that the brake-actuating magnet will be energized and caused to lift the brake-shoes away from the wheels when the meter is in operation, either during the run of the train or when it is desired to start, and when the current is cut oft` Afrom the motor thatit shall also be cut oft' from the brakemagnet, freeing the brake mechanism and allowing a weight or spring or other suitable device to set the brakes and stop the train or materially retard and regulate its speed.

In the accompanying` drawings, Figure lis an elevation, partly in section, showing an electric-railway motor-car and a portion of a second one attached thereto, the motor audits connections, a diagram ofthe circuits including the luake-actuating magnets connected in series,rcsistance devices for use in connection with regulating the operation of the apparatus, and switching devices by which thevarions combinations, hereinafter referred to, are effected. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the brake-actuating magnets in multiple arc.

A represents the track.

B T are the wheels of the car C, and I) is a wheel supporting thcfront portion of asecond ear, C', the rear portion of which is not shown. A motor, i), is mounted upon the ear C, and is connected with the wheels D thereof by belts d, or in any other suitable and convenient manner.

E E E are the brak eshoes which bear against the wheels l I), and are supported bysuitable links, c, secured to their upper extremities and to the under side of the car or track. Thrust-rods F are pivotally connected to the Serial No. 200,468. (No model.)

lower ends of the brake-shoes E, and at their inner ends to the extremity of an extension, f/, depending from an iron plunger or rod armature, G. A solenoid, H, is secured to the under side of cach car in any convenient position and to any convenient part thereof,witl1 in which solenoid the plunger G moves. A powerful spiral spring, I, is placed upon the extension g, between the end of the solenoid and the thrust-rods F, tending to force the plunger downward and set the brake-shoes against the wheels. rlhe spring I may be replaced by a weight or any other equi talent mechanical device; or some well-known form ot automatic brake may be substituted there for, and so arranged that it will be thrown into action whenever t-he plunger G is released.

A suitable switchboard is provided where, by means of the switel1-levers J K, the circuits through the apparatus can be arranged as desired. A rhcostat, L, is also provided, the coils of which are brought to the commutator M, and by means of which and the rotating brush Z, preferably located on top of the motor D, the resistance of the brake and motor circuit can be adj usted as desired, or the circuit of either the brake or motor broken, and such other combinations be made as may be found useful in the operation of the system.

C Q, are contact-brushes extending .from the car to the source of electricity. They are in this instance shown as in contact with the track, but will of course be arranged'according to circumstances. From the entering coutact O, the current passes by conductor l to the switchboard, and, as shown, through arm J and conductor 2 to the solenoid H, on ear C. From here it passes by conductor 3 to solenoid H, on car C, thence by conductor 4. back to the switch-board, through, arm K and conductor 5 to the rhcostat L, thence to the positive binding-post of the motor, through brush Z and conductor G, thence from the motor by conductor 7, throughaswitch, m, placed in the main circuit, and conductor S, to the negative terminal Q, and back to the source of electricity. An additional conductor, 9,is provided leading from the brush Z to the switch m, whereby the motor can be enti rely cut out while the brake-circuitis closed, and at the same time,

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circuit can be made to include the motor and the resistance L, or the resistance L without the motor, and that it can be arranged to be made and broken simultaneously with that of the motor, and at the same operation.

In operation the brake-magnet will ordinarily be in the same circuit as is the motor,

'duction of the power required therefrom or a total interruption of the current, as when the the motor is cut out for the purpose of stopping the train, willcause theliberation of the plungers G, when the springs I, or other devices provided for that purpose, will vat once 1 apply the brakes to the wheels /andy stop the train. Should the train break apart, the conductors 2 and 3 will be severed, in which event also the solenoids H, being deprived of current, will release the 4cores G, the brakes v will be applied, and the train or portions of the train brought to a standstill.

As shown, the solenoids H are connected in series; but I may also-connect them in parallel circuit, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2, in which D is the motor; L, the resistance; Q R, the line-wires throughout the train, and H the solenoids by which the brake mechanism is raised. Suitable switches and connections are provided, as just vdescribed with reference to Fig. 1, the principal difference being that the solenoids H are i-n multiple arc instead of in series, as there shown. n

The arrangement shown in Fig. 2 is also applicable to the present steam-railroads, as well as to those operated by electrically transmitted power, the motor D being arranged to work as a generator and connected to the axle of some one of the cars or of the locomotive, and also connected direct to a small separate steam-engine on the locomotive, by which it can be driven atl any desired speed, so as to furnish current to lift the. brakes at starting,

after which the motion of the train will,

through the motor-connection to the axle,

ldevelop current suiiicient to raise the brakes and free the wheels. Whenever it becomes necessary to stop the train, the current can be diminished and the brakes will apply themselves, as explained. By these means a train of cars equipped with the apparatus and in the manner just described can be readily, conveniently, and economically operated on either an electric or a steam railway, or may pass from one to the other, the electric arrangement displacing the air-brake when the train is on a steam-railway.

It will be obvious that various modifications and `changes may be made in the devices and means heretofore described, without any way departing from the spirit of the invention-as, for instance, an electromagnet may be substis'tuted for the solenoid in the brake-controlling circuit, and, as before suggested, any kind of automatic brake may be used to set the brakes when the circuit including the magnets or solenoids is broken or interrupted purposely or by the breaking apart of the cars.

Having .described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

l. An electro-magnetic railway-brake system consisting of the combination of a series of cars, suitable brakes therefor, and means for automatically operating the same, a solenoid for each of the brake mechanisms, the plunger whereof is connected directly thereto and adapted when acted upon by the solenoid to withdraw and hold the brakes away from their operative positions, and circuits and connections, substantially as described, wherebythe solenoids are energized and the brakes withheld, as set forth.

2. An electro-magnetic brake system con- CHARLES J. VAN DEPOELE.

Vitnesses:

JOSEPH A. GABOURY, CHARLES STEPHENsoN,

IOS) 

